Eighth-grade exam in Poland 2027: dates, format, foreign pupils
Short answer: The 2027 main term is 10 May (Polish), 11 May (maths) and 12 May (foreign language) at 9:00. Results come on 6 July 2027. An adapted sheet exists for pupils whose Polish is limited.
The eighth-grade exam (egzamin ósmoklasisty) is the national test taken at the end of primary school in Poland, and its results are used when applying to secondary schools. If your child is in grade 8 in the 2026/2027 school year, here are the dates and the format for 2027, plus the support available for foreign pupils. The details come from the Central Examination Board (CKE) notices of 20 August 2026 and its information sheet for the 2026/2027 school year, read on 15 October 2026.
Dates in 2027
For children's and youth schools, CKE sets the main term in May 2027, with the exams in this order, each at 9:00:
- Polish language: Monday, 10 May 2027
- Mathematics: Tuesday, 11 May 2027
- Modern foreign language: Wednesday, 12 May 2027
Each subject is on a different day. The additional term is for pupils who missed an exam for health or other unforeseen reasons, or whose exam was interrupted or annulled. It is on 9 June (Polish), 10 June (maths) and 11 June 2027 (foreign language). The pupil sits it at their own school.
Results are announced, and certificates given to pupils, on 6 July 2027, according to the CKE schedule. A January term exists only for adult schools whose courses end in the autumn semester.
How long each exam lasts
According to CKE's information sheet, the standard times are:
- Polish language: 150 minutes
- Mathematics: 125 minutes
- Foreign language: 110 minutes
The schedule also lists extended times for pupils entitled to extra time: 195 minutes for Polish, 165 for maths and 145 for the foreign language. The exam is written. In that time pupils solve the tasks, check the solutions and transfer answers to the answer card.
Format of the answer sheets
The exam is written. According to CKE, the standard sheet for Polish and for English, French, Spanish and Italian is a task booklet with an answer card for the closed questions, and open answers are written in the booklet. For mathematics, German and Russian the sheet also has a separate solutions card for open tasks, and open answers must be written on that card rather than in the booklet. Pupils who use adapted materials write the open answers in the booklet. In 2027 the open answers in maths, German and Russian are scored on screen from scans, so the instruction to write only in the right place matters.
Which foreign language
The foreign-language exam is available in English, French, Spanish, German, Russian and Italian. A pupil takes it in the language they study at school as part of compulsory lessons. Ukrainian is not on the list of exam languages for the eighth-grade foreign-language test. In some schools a pupil from a national-minority school may take maths in the minority language, and the list includes Ukrainian for that case. Ask the school which option applies.
Support for foreign pupils
CKE's notice on adaptations describes a special version of the exam for a pupil whose limited knowledge of Polish makes it hard to understand written text. This applies to the Polish language and mathematics exams. It needs a positive opinion of the school's teachers' council (rada pedagogiczna). The adapted sheets are in a larger, clearer format and are marked with a "C00" code.
The notice also lists, as grounds for adaptation, a positive teachers' council opinion for pupils who get psychological and pedagogical support at school because of adaptation difficulties linked to earlier education abroad, communication disorders or a crisis or traumatic situation, and for foreigners whose limited Polish makes it hard to understand written text.
If your child needs this, ask the school early. The school and the regional examination board arrange the sheets. Separate arrangements, such as sheets for pupils with disabilities, have their own deadlines in CKE's documents.
What to do now
- Ask the school when the declaration of the foreign language and any adaptation requests are due. Schools handle the paperwork with the regional examination board.
- Check which foreign language your child is learning, because that is the language of the exam.
- Look at the sample sheets. CKE publishes sample tasks with solutions, past papers and exercise sets on its website.
- If your child recently arrived, ask the school about preparatory classes and extra Polish lessons. See our guide on free language support for foreign children.
The details can change, so check CKE and your school for the latest information.
* Photos: public domain and CC0 images via Wikimedia Commons.
Frequently asked questions
When is the eighth-grade exam in 2027?
The main term is 10 May (Polish), 11 May (maths) and 12 May 2027 (foreign language), at 9:00, according to CKE. The additional term is on 9 to 11 June 2027.
Can foreign pupils get an easier version of the exam?
There is an adapted sheet for pupils whose limited Polish makes it hard to understand written text. It covers Polish and maths and needs a positive opinion from the school's teachers' council.
When are the results?
CKE gives 6 July 2027 for the announcement of results in the May and June terms.
